Running Warehouse has posted a few previews of shoes in the past few days that might be of interest to readers here. Thought I’d share.

Brooks PureGrit 3

First up is the Brooks PureGrit 3. I now have pairs of the PureFlow 3 and PureConnect 3 and need to get miles on them. Both are changed from top to bottom, but the PureGrit seems to have undergone the biggest transformation among round 3 shoes in the PureProject lineup.

“Brooks’ PureGrit gets redesigned from the ground up, giving the shoe a beefier look and feel while sticking true to the concepts of low weight and a natural, uninhibited ride characteristic of the PureProject collection.

The biggest thing to look for in this version is a new outsole, featuring a more aggressive lug pattern than the previous model (and significantly more so than that of the original PureGrit). In addition, a forefoot rock plate will make this shoe a viable option for the more technical terrain, meaning this shoe will no longer be confined to trails of the well-groomed variety.”

Brooks PureGrit 3 Sole

The lugs still don’t look particularly aggressive on this shoe, but anything would be better than the super-slip outsole of the PureGrit 1 (Nate reports that the PG 2 was much improved, I never tried it). The PG3 definitely has a more substantial look to it, but weighing in at just under 10oz it’s right in line with competitor shoes like the Saucony Peregrine. It’s a good looking shoe, and one that I’d like to try out.

Hoka Huaka and Hoka Clifton

Hoka continues to reduce the weight of their maximally cushioned shoes, and details on two models set to be released this Fall have just come out. Hoka is using a new midsole material called RMAT, which Running Warehouse describes as follows:

“Already seen on the soon-to-be-released Conquest, RMAT promises a resilient, responsive ride at a lower weight than the compression molded EVA seen on other Hoka shoes. While the Conquest features both EVA and RMAT, the Huaka and Clifton both feature a full RMAT midsole, allowing these shoes to fully capitalize on the material’s low weight.”

The Hoka Huaka is a 2mm drop shoe weighing in at 8.9oz:

Hoka One One Huaka

The Hoka Clifton is even lighter, weighing in at 7.9oz for a men’s size 9. Running Warehouse points out that that’s on par with the Saucony Kinvara – pretty amazing for a shoe with this much cushion:

Hoka One One Clifton

I still have only run in a Hoka once – last winter in the Mafate. That shoe is much heavier and more substantial than either of these, and I’m interested to give one of the lighter models a try (the 2mm drop Huaka intrigues me). I’m hoping to have a pair of the Rapa Nuis soon, so stay tuned!

This post was authored by Peter Larson. Pete is a recovering academic who currently works as an exercise physiologist, running coach, and writer. He's also a father of three and a fanatical runner with a bit of a shoe obsession. In addition to writing and editing this site, he is co-author of the book Tread Lightly, and writes a personal blog called The Blogologist. Follow Pete on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and via email.

The Hoka Huakas are my kinda shoe, its not zero drop, but the arch is on the same level as the heel and only 2mm heel drop! The heel drop looks a little higher, but the heel to toe transition should still be very smooth compared to shoes the have a higher midsole height in the arch. Mr. Larson I think I finally found a shoe that will work for me, I’ve been running the Brooks PureFlows (4mm heel drop) but I think I’ll give these a try! Thanks for the info and the article!

I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts on the Rapa Nui 2. I wore them around the house, but they were just not a good fit for my foot and I never tried running in them. From the moment I put them on I could tell my feet were not sitting in them good. I’ll have to try the Clifton and see if the foot bed is any different. Rapa Nui seemed narrow up front and a very hard, rigid feeling upper.

We’ve tested the Rapa Nui and it is the easiest Hoka to transition into for people that are used to “normal” road running shoes. And RMat is crazy–really good cushioning properties and it offers some of the best traction we’ve ever seen…

I have tried several Hokas and returned them all except the Bondi 2. Only kept that one to have a sidewalk running option (for the cushion). Otherwise they are all too narrow in the forefoot. For those used to lightweight shoes, they also provide strength training as a bonus (none of them are light). I was curious about the Rapa Nui until early reviews reported that they too were narrow. Maybe the 2014 models will be more accomodating, but I’m not getting my hopes up.

Ultra-cushioned shoes, Normal cushioned shoes, Minimal cushioned shoes. Pick one that you want to train in. That is your “perfect” shoe. Problem for me is I can pick any of those 3 and it will not be “perfect” for me if it is not Zero-drop. But I can settle for a low heel drop that does not cause involuntary heel striking. People do not need shoes to run, they were an invention to serve as layer of protection ofr your feet and help us run longer because of the cushioning. And the thing is that running shoes should be universal to a certain extent, just like people have certain taste when it comes to movies, where there are certain genres that are more universally liked than others, you can also have a preference with running shoes. If the saucony kinvara series works for you, then does that mean that it won’t work for others. If it only worked for you, then you would be the only one buying them and the line would be discontinued. So its important to always seek universality in running shoes or any kind of product that way parties can mutually benefit.

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